Myrcia paivae O.Berg (Myrtaceae) Essential Oil,First Study of the Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Potential

The Myrtaceae family is one of the most representative in the Amazon. Several species have high added-value pharmacological potential. In order to contribute to the knowledge of the aromatic profile of Myrtaceae species from the Amazon, the present study presents the first report on the productivity, chemical composition, and antioxidant profile of the essential oil (EO) of Myrcia paivae. Dry leaves of the species were submitted to hydrodistillation to obtain their EO. The EO performance was calculated on a moisture-free basis and the analysis of the chemical profile was carried out by GC/MS. The determination of the antioxidant capacity was assessed by means of the antioxidant capacity equivalent to the inhibition Trolox of the ABTS^•+ and DPPH^• radicals. The results indicate that EO performance was equivalent to 1.69%. As for the chemical composition, hydrocarbon monoterpenes were predominant in the sample (>77%); terpinolene (14.70%), α-phellandrene (14.69%), γ-terpinene (9.64%), sylvestrene (7.62%), α-thujene (6.46%), and α-pinene (6.39%) were the constituents with higher content. Regarding the antioxidant capacity, the results show that the EO presented good results in the inhibition of ABTS^•+ (0.886 ± 0.226 mM L⁻¹) and DPPH^• (2.90 ± 0.083 mM L⁻¹), which can be attributed to the high monoterpene content in the sample.     

超临界流体萃取中草药的研究进展

综述了近二十年来超临界流体萃取技术在中草药提取与分离中的研究现状 ,并展望了其应用前景     

Efforts in Bioprospecting Research: A Survey of Novel Anticancer Phytochemicals Reported in the Last Decade

Bioprospecting natural products to find prominent agents for medical application is an area of scientific endeavor that has produced many clinically used bioactive compounds, including anticancer agents. These compounds come from plants, microorganisms, and marine life. They are so-called secondary metabolites that are important for a species to survive in the hostile environment of its respective ecosystem. The kingdom of Plantae has been an important source of traditional medicine in the past and is also enormously used today as an exquisite reservoir for detecting novel bioactive compounds that are potent against hard-to-treat maladies such as cancer. Cancer therapies, especially chemotherapies, are fraught with many factors that are difficult to manage, such as drug resistance, adverse side effects, less selectivity, complexity, etc. Here, we report the results of an exploration of the databases of PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar for bioactive anticancer phytochemicals published between 2010 and 2020. Our report is restricted to new compounds with strong-to-moderate bioactivity potential for which mass spectroscopic structural data are available. Each of the phytochemicals reported in this review was assigned to chemical classes with peculiar anticancer properties. In our survey, we found anticancer phytochemicals that are reported to have selective toxicity against cancer cells, to sensitize MDR cancer cells, and to have multitarget effects in several signaling pathways. Surprisingly, many of these compounds have limited follow-up studies. Detailed investigations into the synthesis of more functional derivatives, chemical genetics, and the clinical relevance of these compounds are required to achieve safer chemotherapy.     

Flavonoids as Potential Anti-Inflammatory Molecules: A Review

Hydroxylated polyphenols, also called flavonoids, are richly present in vegetables, fruits, cereals, nuts, herbs, seeds, stems, and flowers of numerous plants. They possess numerous medicinal properties such as antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-microbial, neuroprotective, and anti-inflammation. Studies show that flavonoids activate antioxidant pathways that render an anti-inflammatory effect. They inhibit the secretions of enzymes such as lysozymes and β-glucuronidase and inhibit the secretion of arachidonic acid, which reduces inflammatory reactions. Flavonoids such as quercetin, genistein, apigenin, kaempferol, and epigallocatechin 3-gallate modulate the expression and activation of a cytokine such as interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-8 (IL-8); regulate the gene expression of many pro-inflammatory molecules such s nuclear factor kappa-light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), activator protein-1 (AP-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM), and E-selectins; and also inhibits inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and lipoxygenase, which are pro-inflammatory enzymes. Understanding the anti-inflammatory action of flavonoids provides better treatment options, including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-induced inflammation, inflammatory bowel disease, obstructive pulmonary disorder, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, and cancer. This review highlights the sources, biochemical activities, and role of flavonoids in enhancing human health.     

Herbal Products Used in Menopause and for Gynecological Disorders

Herbal products are often used as an alternative to pharmacological therapy. Menopausal symptoms and gynecological disorders (such as premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea) are the indications where pharmacological therapy may have serious adverse events, hence many women prefer to use herbal products to help with these symptoms. Here, we reviewed plants and derived products, which are commonly used for the abovementioned indications, focusing on clinical data, safely profile and whether or not their use is justified. We noted that limited data are available on the use of some plants for alleviating the symptoms of menopause and gynecological disorders. While black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemose) and red clover (Trifolium pretense) were consistently shown to help reduce menopausal symptoms in clinical studies, currently available data do not fully support the use of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), hops (Humulus lupulus), valerian (Valeriana officinalis), and soybean (Glycine max and Glycine soja) for this indication. For premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder, chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) shows effectiveness, but more clinical studies are needed to confirm such effect upon the use of evening primrose (Oenothera biennis).     

The Multifunctional Role of Herbal Products in the Management of Diabetes and Obesity: A Comprehensive Review

Obesity and diabetes are the most demanding health problems today, and their prevalence, as well as comorbidities, is on the rise all over the world. As time goes on, both are becoming big issues that have a big impact on people’s lives. Diabetes is a metabolic and endocrine illness set apart by hyperglycemia and glucose narrow-mindedness because of insulin opposition. Heftiness is a typical, complex, and developing overall wellbeing worry that has for quite some time been connected to significant medical issues in individuals, all things considered. Because of the wide variety and low adverse effects, herbal products are an important hotspot for drug development. Synthetic compounds are not structurally diverse and lack drug-likeness properties. Thus, it is basic to keep on exploring herbal products as possible wellsprings of novel drugs. We conducted this review of the literature by searching Scopus, Science Direct, Elsevier, PubMed, and Web of Science databases. From 1990 until October 2021, research reports, review articles, and original research articles in English are presented. It provides top to bottom data and an examination of plant-inferred compounds that might be utilized against heftiness or potentially hostile to diabetes treatments. Our expanded comprehension of the systems of activity of phytogenic compounds, as an extra examination, could prompt the advancement of remedial methodologies for metabolic diseases. In clinical trials, a huge number of these food kinds or restorative plants, as well as their bioactive compounds, have been shown to be beneficial in the treatment of obesity.     

Recent Advances in Herbal-Derived Products with Skin Anti-Aging Properties and Cosmetic Applications

Although aesthetic benefits are a desirable effect of the treatment of skin aging, it is also important in controlling several skin diseases, mainly in aged people. The development of new dermocosmetics has rapidly increased due to consumers’ demand for non-invasive products with lower adverse effects than those currently available on the market. Natural compounds of plant origin and herbal-derived formulations have been popularized due to their various safe active products, which act through different mechanisms of action on several signaling pathways for skin aging. Based on this, the aim of the review was to identify the recent advances in herbal-derived product research, including herbal formulations and isolated compounds with skin anti-aging properties. The studies evaluated the biological effects of herbal-derived products in in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo studies, highlighting the effects that were reported in clinical trials with available pharmacodynamics data that support their protective effects to treat, prevent, or control human skin aging. Thus, it was possible to identify that gallic and ferulic acids and herbal formulations containing Thymus vulgaris, Panax ginseng, Triticum aestivum, or Andrographis paniculata are the most promising natural products for the development of new dermocosmetics with skin anti-aging properties.     

天然产物结构分析中质谱与核磁共振技术应用新进展

天然产物结构鉴定是非常重要和活跃的研究领域,从中可以发现和利用其重要的生物活性组分,是目前新药物研发的关键.在该领域中分析化学新技术的研究和应用一直是人们研究的热点.本文综述了此研究过程中质谱技术、核磁共振技术以及联用技术等的最新进展.     

微波辅助萃取及其联用技术在有机污染物分析中的应用

微波萃取已经发展成为一种常用的快速、高效、污染小的样品的前处理技术。结合有机污染物的气相色谱测定方法,对近年微波萃取技术的研究进展进行了总结,并指出微波与固相微萃取、微固相萃取、顶空萃取、膜分离方法、蒸汽蒸馏萃取、微波催化和消解等方法的联用技术将是微波萃取的重要发展方向。     

Comprehensive Analysis of the Structure and Allergenicity Changes of Seafood Allergens Induced by Non-Thermal Processing: A Review

Seafood allergy, mainly induced by fish, shrimp, crab, and shellfish, is a food safety problem worldwide. The non-thermal processing technology provides a new method in reducing seafood allergenicity. Based on the structural and antigenic properties of allergenic proteins, this review introduces current methods for a comprehensive analysis of the allergenicity changes of seafood allergens induced by non-thermal processing. The IgE-binding capacities/immunoreactivity of seafood allergens are reduced by the loss of conformation during non-thermal processing. Concretely, the destruction of native structure includes degradation, aggregation, uncoiling, unfolding, folding, and exposure, leading to masking of the epitopes. Moreover, most studies rely on IgE-mediated assays to evaluate the allergenic potential of seafood protein. This is not convincing enough to assess the effect of novel food processing techniques. Thus, further studies must be conducted with functional assays, in vivo assays, animal trials, simulated digestion, and intestinal microflora to strengthen the evidence. It also enables us to better identify the effects of non-thermal processing treatment, which would help further analyze its mechanism.     

Multi-Interactions in Ionic Liquids for Natural Product Extraction

Natural products with a variety of pharmacological effects are important sources for commercial drugs, and it is very crucial to develop effective techniques to selectively extract and isolate bioactive natural components from the plants against the background of sustainable development. Ionic liquids (ILs) are a kind of designable material with unique physicochemical properties, including good thermal stability, negligible vapor pressure, good solvation ability, etc. ILs have already been used in pharmaceuticals for extraction, purification, drug delivery, etc. It has been reported that multi-interactions, like hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, play important roles in the extraction of bioactive components from the plants. In this review, recent progress in the understanding of scientific essence of hydrogen bonding, the special interaction, in ILs was summarized. The extraction of various natural products, one important area in pharmaceutical, by conventional and functional ILs as well as the specific roles of multi-interactions in this process were also reviewed. Moreover, problems existing in bioactive compound extraction by ILs and the future developing trends of this area are given, which might be helpful for scientists, especially beginners, in this field.     

Boiling Technique-Based Food Processing Effects on the Bioactive and Antimicrobial Properties of Basil and Rosemary

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and basil (Ocimum sanctum Linn) are mostly used as herbal teas, made by steeping whole or ground herbs in boiling water. Hence, it is important to know the effect of boiling time on the bioactivity of these herbs. The effect of different boiling times (5, 10, and 15 min) on the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and some selected phenolic compounds of these herbs was examined in this study. Experimental results revealed that basil displayed the highest total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activity when it was boiled for 5 min, and the lowest TPC was obtained when it was boiled for 15 min. On the other hand, rosemary had the highest TPC, TFC, and antioxidant potential after being boiled for 15 min, while it had the lowest after being boiled for 5 min. There was no growth inhibition of rosemary extracts against gram-negative bacteria, whereas higher growth inhibition was observed against gram-positive bacteria. The MIC and MBC of rosemary ethanolic extract against Listeria monocytogenes were 5 and 5 mg/mL and against B. subtilis were 10 and 10 mg/mL, respectively. While MIC and MBC of methanolic extract against L. monocytogenes were 5 and 5 mg/mL and against Bacillus subtilis were and 5 and 5 mg/mL, respectively. Salicylic acid was the most abundant (324.7 mg/100 g dry weight (dw)) phenolic compound in the rosemary sample boiled for 5 min, and acetyl salicylic acid was the most abundant (122.61 mg/10 g dw) phenolic compound in the basil sample boiled for 15 min.     

王水-过氧化氢热浸提原子荧光光谱法快速测定原生中草药中的汞

采用王水-过氧化氢预氧化水浴热浸提处理样品,应用原子荧光光谱法快速检测原生中草药中痕量汞.其方法回收率在98.6%~105.4%之间,相对标准偏差在3.0%~7.4%之间,标准系列质量浓度在0.000~6.000μg/L范围内线性关系良好,相关系数为0.999 9,一元线性回归方程为：IF=301.512C＋1.235,方法检出限达到0.021 6μg/L.试验证实,方法具有简便、快速、灵敏度高、取样量少等优点,为原生中草药中痕量汞的检测提供了有效的分析方法.     

微型固相萃取柱预处理胆固醇氧化物的研究

本文研究了自装的微型SPE固相萃取小柱(柱填料仅为20mg)从大量花生油和胆固醇中分离、富集胆固醇氧化产物，效果良好。     

High-Pressure Processing and Ultrasonication of Minimally Processed Potatoes: Effect on the Colour,Microbial Counts,and Bioactive Compounds

HPP at 600 MPa alone, and in combination with US at 20 kHz (200 W), was applied to minimally processed potatoes of two commonly grown cultivars in Ireland. Changes in colour and microbial load (Enterobacteriaceae, total aerobic count, Salmonella, yeasts, and moulds) were monitored in vacuum-packaged potatoes during 14 days of storage at 4 °C. HPP and HPP/US significantly (p < 0.05) affected the colour parameters a*, b*, L*, and ΔE of minimally processed potatoes compared to the controls. Microbial growth was delayed in most of the treated samples with respect to those untreated (controls), while HPP completely inactivated Enterobacteriaceae in both cultivars. Total phenolic content and antioxidant activities were not altered in the treated samples of both varieties when compared to the controls. The levels of chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid were decreased after both treatments, with a significant (p < 0.05) increase in quinic acid in the treated samples as opposed to those untreated. A significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the levels of glycoalkaloids, namely α-chaconine and α-solanine, in HPP- and HPP/US-treated potatoes was also observed. These findings suggest that HPP and US can extend the shelf-life of minimally processed potatoes with a negligible impact on their antioxidant activity and phenolic content.     

Metabolite Fingerprinting Based on 1H-NMR Spectroscopy and Liquid Chromatography for the Authentication of Herbal Products

Herbal medicines (HMs) are regarded as one of the traditional medicines in health care to prevent and treat some diseases. Some herbal components such as turmeric and ginger are used as HMs, therefore the identification and confirmation of herbal use are very necessary. In addition, the adulteration practice, mainly motivated to gain economical profits, may occur by substituting the high price of HMs with lower-priced ones or by addition of certain chemical constituents known as Bahan Kimia Obat (chemical drug ingredients) in Indonesia. Some analytical methods based on spectroscopic and chromatographic methods are developed for the authenticity and confirmation of the HMs used. Some approaches are explored during HMs authentication including single-component analysis, fingerprinting profiles, and metabolomics studies. The absence of reference standards for certain chemical markers has led to exploring the fingerprinting approach as a tool for the authentication of HMs. During fingerprinting-based spectroscopic and chromatographic methods, the data obtained were big, therefore the use of chemometrics is a must. This review highlights the application of fingerprinting profiles using variables of spectral and chromatogram data for authentication in HMs. Indeed, some chemometrics techniques, mainly pattern recognition either unsupervised or supervised, were applied for this purpose.     

56种药材内有害元素As、Hg的含量比较

分析并比较了56种中药内有害元素As、Hg的含量，本文可供临床用药时参考。     

苦杏仁的炮制及有效成分提取和分析进展

苦杏仁为常用中药,用途广泛,人们对其研究热潮方兴未艾．本文介绍了苦杏仁的炮制及有效成分提取和分析进展,引用文献55篇．     

Medicinal Plants,Phytochemicals, and Herbs to Combat Viral Pathogens Including SARS-CoV-2

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), is the most important health issue, internationally. With no specific and effective antiviral therapy for COVID-19, new or repurposed antiviral are urgently needed. Phytochemicals pose a ray of hope for human health during this pandemic, and a great deal of research is concentrated on it. Phytochemicals have been used as antiviral agents against several viruses since they could inhibit several viruses via different mechanisms of direct inhibition either at the viral entry point or the replication stages and via immunomodulation potentials. Recent evidence also suggests that some plants and its components have shown promising antiviral properties against SARS-CoV-2. This review summarizes certain phytochemical agents along with their mode of actions and potential antiviral activities against important viral pathogens. A special focus has been given on medicinal plants and their extracts as well as herbs which have shown promising results to combat SARS-CoV-2 infection and can be useful in treating patients with COVID-19 as alternatives for treatment under phytotherapy approaches during this devastating pandemic situation.     

磷脂组学研究中的分析检测技术

磷脂是细胞膜的主要组分,有非常重要的生理功能,与人类健康、疾病密切相关。因此,有必要对生物体内磷脂化合物进行全面的分析,深入研究磷脂在疾病发生发展过程中的生物功能。磷脂组学是通过全面的定性与定量分析磷脂化合物解决现有生物学问题的研究模式。磷脂分析检测技术是实现磷脂组学研究的关键,包括样品前处理、分离、定性与定量分析和组学数据挖掘等。本文综述了磷脂组学研究中的分析检测技术,为发展快速、稳定、可靠、高灵敏、高分辨、高通量的磷脂检测平台技术提供参考。磷脂组学与其他组学的整合研究将促进生命分析化学的进一步发展。